Seaming machine



Dec. 30, 1947.

w. J. GEIST SEAMING MACHINE I Filed July 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l W. J- GEIST YSEAM'ING MACHINE Filed July 17, 1945 Dec. 30, 1947.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 2 u ham 7 gm w Patented Dec. 30, i534? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,4,691 slinivime William John Geist, Richmond Heights; M64 55% signer to Continental Can Company, Inc:, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 17, 194i, seriai Matti I 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to seaming machines and more particularly to machines for seaming heads or ends on containers.

This application is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending application of William J. Geist, Serial No. 379,335, filed Februaryl'l, 1941, Patent No. 2,324,501, for seaming machine. The machine disclosed and claimed in the parent application includes an anvil-equipped chuck movable into and out of engagement with an end or closure arranged ona container in readiness for the formation of a seam, dies mounted on the chuck for shifting toward and from the closure or end, and a cam telescopically related to the chuck for movement relatively to the end for actuating the dies into seaming engagement with the end. Parts on the church and cam initially engage each other for supporting the chuck spaced from the container end but are adapted to become disengaged to allow die-actuating movement of the cam relative to the chuck when the chuck has come into engagement with the container end. I I I In the construction disclosed in the parent ap plication, the cam referred to is single acting,

that is, it acts only to move the dies from inactive position to activeseamdorming position; When the cam is retracted it does not drive the dies away from seam forming position, returning being efieetedby springsacting. in opposition to the cam. It has been found that after very long periods of use the repeated flexing of the die returning springs sometimes results in breakage.

One object of the invention is to provide a seaming machine generally of the character referred to above and including positively driven means, suchas a cam and follower mechanism for moving the seam-forming, dies away from seaming position. I I I Another object of the: invention: is to provide novel and. improved cam mechanism; for operating the dies of. seaming machines which may or may. not also embody: theaforementioned features of th e constructiondisclosed in application Serial No. 379,335. I I I Another object of the invention is to provide seaming die operating. mechanism of the kind referred to which includes a cam-ring cooperable with die actuating rock levers-mounted in slots 2 in the chuck and being surrounded by the cam ring; I

Other objects will become apparent from a reading of the following detail description, the appended claims; and the accompanying drawiii-gs.-

in the drawings; I I I I I Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of seammachine mechanism embodying the invention, showing the parts at rest in the positions occupiedbefore the chuck and seaming dies have been movedinto' engagement with a container end;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure I but drawn on a smaller scale anash wmg the parts in the positions occupied when the chuck and seaming dies have moved into engagement with the container end" but prior to the seaming operation of the dies I I I I I Figure 3- is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the parts in seamforming positions.

Figure' lis a se'ction on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is afragmentary Vertical section showing bolts for holding chuck parts, dies, and a bottom ring a's'se'mbledz' I I I I I Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail view in ver; tical section showing a' die and chuck anvil in seam forming engagementwith a container and c'ontainerend. I I I I I Figure? is a fragmentary horizontalsction on the line 1- -1 ofFi gure' l. I I

Figure 8 isafra'gmentary horizontal section on the line 8'8 of Figure 1; I I I Mechanism embodying the invention in the illustrative for-mshown in; thedrawings may be mounted upon a stationary frame of which only afixed guide part I and container support 2 are shown. The support-. 13 adapted to carry a container C and closure or end-E arranged thereon in readiness for the" formation of a' seam. A chuck generally designated 3. is mounted above the support 2 andis guided for reciprocatory movement by a shouldered stud or rod 13- having threaded c-onnectionat 5 with the chuck" 3 and extending for sliding movements through an opening 6 inthe fixed part I. The upper end oft-the rode-is formed with a flange 1' engageable with the top-of t-he'part I for limiting downward movement of the. chuck" 3'; Pins 8" secured to the chuck-3 are guided in" openings 9 formed in' the fixed part i for preventing rotation" of the chuck 3 about the axis of the rod 4. Springs ||l interposed between the part I and the chuck urge the latter downwardly.

A cam ring H telescopically related to and surrounding the chuck 3 is suspended by rods |2 having threaded connection with the cam ring at 3 and extending vertically through guide openings |4 in the fixed part I. The upper ends of the rods l2 are threaded as at l5 and are secured by nuts l6 to a vertically reciprocable cross head IT. The cross head is operatively connected to a driving member |8 actuatable in any desired manner, for example by means of a toggle construction similar to that disclosed in the copending application (now patent 2,324,501) previously referred to. Parts respectively on the ing engagement with the end E. To this end the lower portion of the cam ring I! is formed with a seaming cam surface 31 facing inwardly toward the chuck for cooperation with follower surfaces 38 formed on the outer edges of the dies 28. When the cam ring I moves downwardly with respect to the chuck from the position shown in Figure 2, the cam surfaces 37 and 33 will cooperate to drive the dies 28 into the seaming position shown in Figure 3. The dies are formed with seaming portions having a suitable contour as shown at 39 (see Figures 1, 4 and 5). It will be understood, however, that the die seaming surfaces may vary in accordance with the type of container end emcam ring and the chuck to be described later are adapted to engage each other for lifting the chuck 3 when the cam ring II is raised and for maintaining the chuck 3 raised when the cam ring is in its normal lifted position. The arrangement is such that when the cam ring is lowered the chuck is left free to move downwardly by gravity assisted by the force exerted by the springs Ill.

The chuck shown comprises upper and lower body sections l9 and centralized with respect to each other by a boss 2| on the section 20 fitting into a depression or recess in the section l9. The chuck assembly also includes an anvil 22 carried. below the bottom section 20 and having its lower face formed for engaging the container end E and holding it in shape when the seam is being formed. The anvil 22 is secured to the bottom body section 20 b a sleeve 23 extending through an opening 24 .in the anvil and having threaded connection at 25 with the body section 20, a flange or head 26 on the sleeve engaging the root of a counterbore 21 in the anvil 22.

Four segmental dies 28 are positioned in sliding engagement with the bottom of the chuck section 20 for shifting movements inwardly toward and outwardly away from the anvil 22. The dies 28 are held snugly against the chuck section 23 by a bottom ring 29 disposed under the dies and connected to the chuck 3 by bolts 30 which extend through radially elongated openings 3| in the dies and through openings 32 in the chuck bodies l9 and 2|! as shown in Figure 4. The upper ends of the bolts 30 are threaded to receive nuts 33 which bear against washers 34, the edges of which overlap the cam ring The nuts 33 are drawn up sumciently to maintain the chuck sections l9 and 20, the dies 28, and the ring 29 in snug assembly but are not drawn tightly enough to prevent free sliding of the dies 28 between the bottom chuck section 20 and the ring 29. The slots 3| are long enough radially to permit the necessary shifting of the dies 28 without interference by the bolts 30. The anvil 22 has a rim 35 which underlies ledges 36 on the dies 28.

When the cam ring H is in its elevated normal or inactive position as shown in Figure 1, its upper face lying under the overlapping portions of the washers 34 as shown in Figure 5 will support the chuck assembly together with the dies 28 and bottom ring 29. When the cam ring H is moved downwardlythe chuck assembly will descend under the action of gravity and the springs ID until the-anvil 22 comes to rest in engagement with the end E as shown in Figure 2. Further down- .ward movement of the chuck assembly will then be prevented by engagement of the flange l with the fixed part 1. Continued downward movement of the cam ring H is utilized for driving the dies 28 inwardly toward the anvil 22 and into seamployed and the kind of scam to be formed.

m In accordance with the invention, mechanism is provided for positively driving the dies 28 outwardly away from the anvil 22 and end E for the formation of the'seam. In the form shown the chuck body members i9 and 25 are formed with slots 40 one adjacent and above each die segment 28 whereit adjoins an adjacent segment. Mounted'in each slot 40 is a rock lever 4| pivoted on the chuck body section 25 as at 42. The bottom ends of the lever 4| extend into openings 43 in the associated die segments 28. The top end of each lever 4| is formed as a follower M'engageable by a resetting cam surface 45 on the cam ring I In the illustrative embodiment, the surface 45 is formed on a separate ring section 46 clamped on top of the main ring H by shoulders 47 on the rods l2.

In operation, when the cam ring I] is raised following the formation of a seam, the resetting cam surface 45 will co-act with the upper ends 44 of the rock levers 4| to swing the lever upper ends inwardly and thereby move the lower ends of the levers outwardly or away from the anvil, thus retracting the dies 28.

After the dies have been retracted in this manner and the cam ring H has been moved further upwardly, it will engage the washers 34 so as to lift the chuck 3 above to the position shown in projecting into a counterbore 52 in the fixed frame part I. The cross piece 5| is locked in the counterbore 52 by a' retaining ring 53 held in a seat 54 by screws 55. The arrangement is such thatregardless of the position of the transverse slot-49 when the shouldered stud or rod 4 has been screwedhome in 'thechuck 3, the cross piece 5| may be locked in the counterbore 52 and the ejector rod thus secured to the fixed part L In operation, if a seamed container should be carried up with the chuck when the latter is moved upwardly from its Figure 3 position, the lower end of the pin 48'will be projected below the bottom of the anvil 22, as shown in Figure 1, so as to be engaged by the end E. Consequently the pin 48 will hold the end E against further upward movement and the seamed container and end will be stripped from the chuck when the chuck continues to rise. 7

The mechanism disclosed herein embodies the invention in the form now preferred but it will be apparent that changes may be made withou departin from the nv nti n as d fi ed in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for seaming ends on containers, a support for a containerwhich has an end arranged thereon, a chuck relatively movable into and out of engagement with said end,-segmental dies shiftably carried by said chuck for bodily movement inwardly toward and outward- 1y away from said end when it is engaged by said chuck, an. axially .reciprocable cam ring surrounding said chuck and having a seaming cam surface facing inwardly and engaging said dies for shifting said dies inwardly toward said end when said cam ring is moved in one axial direction, rock levers pivoted on said chuck and being operatively connected to said dies respectively, said cam ring having a resetting cam surface engageable with said rock levers for actuating the latter to retract said dies from seaming position when said cam ring is moved axially in the opposite direction, and means for moving said cam ring successively in said axial directions.

2. In a machine for seaming ends on containers, an element for supporting a container which has an end thereon, a chuck element, means mounting one of said elements for movement relatively to the other of said elements for effecting engagement of said chuck element with said end, dies mounted on said chuck element for movement inwardly toward and outwardly away from said chuck element engaged end, a cam ring surrounding said chuck and being mounted to move along the line of relative movement between said elements and having a seaming cam surface facing inwardly and operatively engaging said dies for moving said dies inwardly toward the chuck element engaged end when said cam ring is moved in one direction along said line and having also a resetting cam surface, slots in said chuck element, one adjacent each die, resetting cam follower levers in said slots respectively and being pivoted on said chuck element intermediate their ends, one end of each of said levers being connected to an associated die and the other end of each lever being cooperable with said resetting cam for moving the associated dies outwardly away from the chuck element engaged end when said cam ring is moved in the opposite direction along said line, and means for effecting relative movement between said chuck element and said supporting element and for moving said cam ring in said directions.

3. In a machine for seaming an end on a container, the end having a raised seam, the combination of a chuck movable between a retracted position and a position at the container end, an anvil on the chuck adapted to fit within the seam when the chuck is in the position at the container, a set of dies supported at the lower end of the chuck for individual movement toward the seam, a cam ring telescopically encircling the chuck and having a continuous flared camming surface disposed to cooperate with the dies in the horizontal plane occupied by the anvil to force the dies inwardly when the ring is moved downwardly relative to the chuck, and means actuated by said ring upon upward movement thereof relative to the chuck for positively moving the dies outwardly.

4. In a machine for seaming an end on a container, the end having a raised seam, the com- '6 bination of a chuck movable between a retracted position anda position at the container end, an anvil on the chuck adapted to fit within the seam when the chuck is in the position at. the con:- tainenaset of dies supported at the lower end of the chuck for individual movement toward the seam, a cam ring telescopically encircling the chuck and having a continuous flared camming surface disposed to cooperate with the dies in the horizontal plane occupied by the anvil to force the dies inwardly when the ring is moved downwardly relative to the chuck, said chuck having a plurality of radially disposed slots therein, levers uprightly disposed in said slots and pivotally supported intermediately of their ends,

said dies having recesses formed therein in which the lower ends of the levers engage, and cam means carried by the ring and engageable with the upper ends of the levers upon upward movement of the ring relative to the chuck for positively moving the dies outwardly.

5. In a machine for seaming an end on a container, the end having a, raised seam, the combination of a chuck movable between a retracted position and a position at the container end, an anvil on the chuck adapted to fit within the seam when the chuck is in the position at the container, a set of dies supported at the lower end of the chuck for individual movement toward the seam, a cam ring telescopically encircling the chuck and having a continuous flared camming surface disposed to cooperate with the dies in the horizontal plane occupied by the anvil to force the dies inwardly when the ring is moved downwardly relative to the chuck, said chuck having a plurality of radially disposed slots therein, levers uprightly disposed in said slots and pivotally supported, intermediately of their ends, said dies having recesses formed therein in which the lower ends of the levers engage, and cam means carried by the ring and engageable with the upper ends of the levers upon upward movement of the ring relative to the chuck for positively moving the dies outwardy, each said die having two angularly related active faces for cooperating with two angularly related parts of the seam which join at a corner of the seam, and adjacent edge portions of the dies being disposed to lie in proximity when the dies are pressed against the seam, and said lever end receiving recesses being compositely formed in said adjacent die edge portions.

6. In a machine for seaming an end on a container, the end having a raised scam, the combination of a chuck movable between a retracted position and a position at the container end, an anvil on the chuck adapted to fit within the seam when the chuck is in the position at the container, a set of dies supported at the lower end of the chuck for individual movement toward the seam, a cam ring telescopically encircling the chuck and having a continuous flared camming surface disposed to cooperate with the dies in the horizontal plane occupied by the anvil to force the dies inwardly when the ring is moved downwardly relative to the chuck, said chuck having a plurality of radially disposed slots therein, levers uprightly disposed in said slots and pivotally supported intermediately of their ends, said dies having recesses formed therein in which the lower ends of the levers engage, and cam means carried by the ring and engageable with the upper ends of the levers upon upward movement of the ring relative to the chuck for posi- 7 tiveiy moving the dies outwardly, each said die having two angularly related active faces for cooperating with'two angularly related parts. of the seam which join at a corner of the seam, and adjacent edge portions of the dies being disposed to lie in proximity when the dies are pressed against the seam, and said lever end receiving recesses being compositely formed in said adjacent die edge portions and shaped'to cooperate with said lower lever ends in causing each die to move outwardly in the direction of projection of the jointure of its tWo angularly related active faces.

WILLIAM JOHN GEIST.

itEF'ERENoE's CITED The f oilowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

